Puritan quotes on
Worldliness
203 quotes
“A secure sinner provides for his body, but neglects his soul; like one that waters his flowers, but never minds his jewels.”
“All the beauty of the world, 'tis but skin deep.”
“Worldly riches are like nuts; many clothes are torn in getting them, many a tooth broke in cracking them, but never a belly filled with eating them.”
“To mind the less, and neglect the greater, to be troubled about these many things, and neglect the one thing necessary, is folly with a witness, and will be followed with a vengeance.”
“Faith, whereby especially Christ rules, sets the soul so high that it looks down on all other things as far below.”
“My soul is of more value than ten thousand worlds.”
“Whatsoever we have over-loved, idolized, and leaned upon, God has from time to time broken it, and made us to see the vanity of it.”
“The heart of a Christian, like the moon, commonly suffers an eclipse when it is at the full, and that by the interposition of the earth.”
“I beseech you consider, that what you give your time, pains, thoughts and affections to, that is your God.”
“There is no surer evidence of an unconverted state than to have the things of the world uppermost in our aim, love, and estimation.”
“Those who have never seen the sun are amazed at a candle. Likewise, those who have never known the blessed God are fond of pitiful things on earth.”
“A believer hath business of great weight, when he withdraweth from the press of the world, it is that he might draw nearer to the Lord.”
“Let the mantle of worldly enjoyments hang loose about you, that it may be easily dropped when death comes to carry you into another world.”
“As fish in the water love deep places and wells and are most frequently found there, so wicked men have a great love to carnal security and have no will to strive against the stream.”
“Most men are so far from making God their chief end, in their natural and civil actions, that, in these matters, God is not in all their thoughts.”
“Where one thousand are destroyed by the world's frowns, ten thousand are destroyed by the world's smiles.”
“The world, siren-like, sings to us, then sinks us.”
“Men must not think to dance and dine with the devil, and then to sup with Abraham in heaven.”
“A man that preaches an immortal crown, should not seek much after transitory vanity.”
“Once more consider, there is nothing, but heaven, worth setting our hearts upon.”
“If God be not enough for you, you will never have enough.”
“The most dangerous mistake that our souls are capable of, is, to take the creature for God, and earth for heaven.”
“He has his back to the world, his face toward heaven and a Book in his hand.”
“Build your nest upon no tree here, for ye see that God hath sold the forest to death.”
“If you should see a man shut up in a closed room, idolizing a set of lamps and rejoicing in their light, and you wished to make him truly happy, you would begin by blowing out all his lamps.”
“I cry, Down with me; down, down with all the excellency of the world; and up, up with Christ!”
“Set not your heart upon the world, since God hath not made it your portion.”
“Think not the better of sin because it is in fashion.”
“More are hurt by lawful things than unlawful, as more are killed with wine than poison.”
“The world rings changes, it is never constant but in its disappointments. The world is but a great inn, where we are to stay a night or two, and be gone; what madness is it so to set our heart upon our inn, as to forget our home?”
“It is hard to carry a full cup without spilling, and a full estate without sinning.”
“It is in fashion nowadays to go to hell.”
“We may hold the world as a posy in our hand, but it must not lie too near our heart.”
“If you set your love on worldly things, they will not satisfy.”
“He who loves money is not weary of telling it: and he who loves God is not weary of serving him.”
“A carnal person can no more value spiritual blessings than a baby can value a diamond necklace.”
“God made the world only as a dressing room to dress our souls in.”
“Nothing teaches us about the preciousness of the Creator as much as when we learn the emptiness of everything else.”
“That very church which the world likes best is sure to be that which God abhors.”
“To rejoice in temporal comforts is dangerous, to rejoice in self is foolish, to rejoice in sin is fatal, but to rejoice in God is heavenly.”
“A sheep in the midst of wolves is safe compared with the Christian in the midst of ungodly men.”
“Newspapers are the Bibles of worldlings. How diligently they read them!”
“The more objects you set your heart upon, the more thorns there are to tear your peace of mind to shreds.”
“That same spirit which makes us love the praise of men makes us dread the threats of men.”
“Idleness and luxury are the devil's jackals, and find him abundant prey.”
“Great numbers of persons care more about their cats and dogs than about their souls.”
“If the enemy begins to love one of the king's generals, the king may half suspect that his general is turning traitor.”
“Christians are not so much in danger when they are persecuted as when they are admired.”
“It is a very ill omen to hear a wicked world clap its hands and shout 'Well done' to the Christian man.”
“If we remember that all the trees of earth are marked for the woodman's axe, we will not be so ready to build our nests in them.”
“If you profess to be a Christian, yet find full satisfaction in worldly pleasures, your profession is false.”
“He who often thinks of God will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods around this narrow globe.”
“The world and you must part, or Christ and you will never meet.”
“Solomon got more hurt by his wealth, than he got good by his wisdom.”
“The two poles could sooner meet, than the love of Christ and the love of the world.”
“How many threadbare souls are to be found under silken cloaks and gowns!”
“It is certain that great prosperity and worldly glory are no sure tokens of God's love.”
“If you would get a contented life, do not grasp too much of the world, do not take in more of the business of the world than God calls you to.”
“It's certain that the thing a man's heart is most taken with and set upon is his God.”
“If riches increase, set not your hearts upon them: so if friends increase, set not your hearts upon them, but trust in the living God, let it be the living God that you rest on even for all outward things in this world.”
“A little in the world will content a Christian for his passage, but all the world, and ten thousand times more, will not content a Christian for his portion.”
“Before your conversion, before God wrought upon your souls, you were contented with the world without grace, though you had no interest in God nor Christ; why cannot you now be contented with grace and spiritual things without the world?”
“Nothing is more contrary to a heavenly hope, than an earthly heart.”
“Did Christ die, and shall sin live? Was He crucified in the world, and shall our affections to the world be quick and lively?”
“The more I see of the glory of Christ, the more the painted beauties of this world wither in my eyes.”
“On Christ's glory I would fix all my thoughts and desires, and the more I see of the glory of Christ, the more the painted beauties of this world will wither in my eyes, and I will be more and more crucified to this world.”
“And as men's diversions increase from the world, so do their entanglements from Satan.”
“They are full of outward comforts—they have their friends and children, they have estates, they have their tables well-furnished, and all the things that one would think would make the heart of almost any man content.”
“Isn’t it also a great evil for someone to possess a large estate and yet not know how to use it for God?”
“What are the honours and riches of this world, when compared to the glories of a crown of life?”
“The good things of the world are sometimes to be attained by wearing a cloak of religion.”
“As for the things of the earth, I do not set store by them, whether I have much or little; but hide not Thy commandments from me, Lord!”
“God is more taken with Lazarus's patched coat, than with Dives's silken robe, etc.”
“The first possession that we take of this world, is by crying: and there is nothing in it, that we hold by a surer tenure than our griefs.”
“In that very day his thoughts perish." I may allude to it in this sense—all worldly, vain thoughts, in that day of death perish, and come to nothing!”
“What weary devotion will there be at night when a man is even tired out with the business of the day!”
“He lets the worldlings have their hearts' ease; He lets them feed themselves with the pleasures of this world and set themselves as oxen against the day of slaughter.”
“As the dust of the earth is the most sluggish, dead element of all, so earthliness in the heart makes the heart sluggish, dead, and lifeless to any holy and spiritual duty.”
“If they may have the world, and live in honour and pleasure here, they give God an acquittance for anything else.”
“To despise the world is the way to enjoy heaven; and blessed are they who delight to converse with God by prayer.”
“I think few Christians find much furtherance heavenward by their multiplicity of engagements or enjoyments in this world.”
“That which is of the world is glorious and delightful in their eyes, and is worthy of being sought and pursued.”
“The dangers that men in a prosperous position have more than others should be considered by those who are lower.”
“Lastly, would you not have your portion in this world, be willing to cast away whatever of your portion you have got sinfully.”
“What desperate folly is it to venture the loss of eternity for the enjoying of these things!”
“The Vanity of the World appears in this, THAT IT CAN STAND US IN NO STEAD, THEN WHEN WE HAVE THE GREATEST NEED OF SUPPORT AND COMFORT .”
“Fear not you their fear; their fear drives them from God to the creature; it first distracts them, and then ensnares them.”
“But if there is anything else that your soul is set on as the highest good, that’s your god, and it’s worse than bowing the knee.”
“Many carnal men that have great inheritances other ways have nothing to do with the promises of the saints.”
“They think, 'Blessed are the rich.' The world would count him blessed who could have Midas' wish—that all that he touched might be turned into gold.”
“Pride, idleness, wantonness, are three worms that usually breed of plenty.”
“Therefore, ALL THE VANITY, THAT IS IN WORLDLY THINGS, IS ONLY IN RESPECT OF THE SIN AND FOLLY OF MAN.”
“Whatever, then, rises between the soul and Christ- whatever would tend to satisfy the soul in His absence- whatever would take His place in the affections, must be surrendered.”
“That man who makes himself the end of his actions, who makes honor, riches, applause, etc. the end of his actions—he must at last lie down in eternal sorrow, he must dwell in everlasting burnings.”
“It is naturally true that as we are of the earth, so we are earthly and have our spirits engaged to the things of the earth.”
“Alas! it will be the ruin of thousands; some have sucked in such prejudicate opinions and vile notions of religion, and its professors, as make them irreconcileable enemies to it.”
“Jehoshaphat was found guilty in joining himself to wicked men too much, the Prophet comes and saith to him, Wouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord?”
“Truly, all the riches and glories of this world cannot keep off the least calamity, neither can they make up the lack of the least mercy.”
“But, when we are anxious how our designs will succeed, we make it a torment to us in getting, before we can make it a comfort to us in enjoying.”
“To what purpose, then, dost thou, O Worldling, rack thy brains with contrivances, how to fill thy bags with treasure, how to empty them out with advantage?”
“A full condition is in danger of hindering those graces that are distinctly Christian.”
“There are many atheists, whose whole care is to preserve life.”
“It was short then, it is shorter now. 'The time is short.' We are fallen into the latter end of the world.”
“So the things of this world; they pass away, but they never come again.”
“Thy lands, thy houses, and fair estate, are but pictures of things.”
“They take great pains in the World, and meet with great disappointments: for both are signified by labouring in the fire; where what they produce cannot be enjoyed, but is consumed between their hands.”
“They will glory in their oaths as a genteel accomplishment, and swear, and say they will swear.”
“You are cursed idolators, because you set your hearts upon your riches.”
“That’s the great evil of earthly-mindedness; it hinders the great benefit of the Word, and there is much evil in this.”
“All other things you might love are as common to lost people, as well as to the saved.”
“Suppose a man were to live for ever in the world, I should then esteem it a piece of wisdom for him to make the great ones of the world his friends.”
“To soar from earthly scenes is to escape the clouds of sense—the mists of partial glance—the darkness of a prison-state.”
“The world saw nothing in Paul but vileness and meanness; Paul saw nothing in the world but the same.”
“I am ready to think I have known as much of the good and happiness which this world can afford, as most people who live in it.”
“Where are you going?” So may a man that has his portion in this world say at his death, where is this poor soul of mine going?”
“All they see is their own; and all their own is most excellent.”
“What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
“What then, are all our earthly enjoyments —with the sword of divine vengeance hanging over our head!”
“So long as the heart is an Exchange, I do not expect that it should be a Temple.”
“You bestow upon this world that which might bring you to heaven.”
“Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.”
“Reader, think of the world's tinsel gifts —weigh Satan's wages, as earned in time, and paid in the eternal world.”
“But this is all hidden from the world; they have no guide in prosperity —but hurry on as they are instigated by their blinded passions, and are perpetually multiplying mischiefs and miseries to themselves!”
“How hard it is for rich people to get into the Kingdom of God!”
“It is enough for him that must leave all, I know not how soon; have I little or much, I must leave all.”
“Grown men prefer one piece of gold above a thousand new pennies.”
“The truth is, the world is much better in shew than substance: and those very things we admire before we enjoy them, yet afterward we find much less in them than we expected.”
“The violence and corruption of mankind abounded, and even the sons of God were taken with the bait of sensual delights.”
“Therefore, by comparing these two Scriptures, you see that those who have most of the precious things of this world are the most likely to be shot at; the devil shoots at them more than he does others.”
“It may be that his estate, his houses, his lands are worth somewhat, but what is his heart worth?”
“Men may read what the world is by evident characters, in the habits and attire that it wears.”
“How would earthly things be overvalued and idolized, if besides their conveniency to our bodies, they should be the marks and evidences of God's love to our souls!”
“Disguised in holy livery, he was the slave of this world's prince.”
“All things here in this world are subordinate to a further end.”
“If you shed tears for outward losses, it will not advantage you.”
“Let the ambitious man take the honors of the world, so I may but have Christ.”
“The lusts of the eye, are riches; so called, because their greatest serviceableness is only to make a glittering and dazzling shew.”
“Again, if the Lord does thus carefully provide for His children all kinds of benefits, what a wonderful wickedness is this for men to get their living by ungodly means, as usury, carding, dicing, and such like exercises?”
“And therefore, those who rested in their carnal privileges, and sought eternal happiness from them, perverted their true end, and could never obtain what they followed after.”
“Many meet in taverns to trifle away time; the apostle bids us redeem time.”
“What is the favor of man but a blast, a sunshine-hour, a puff of wind, a great nothing? and who then would spend an hour's time to secure it?”
“He looks upon scorners as spitting upon Christ, and worldlings as preferring Barabbas before Christ—and this makes him groan.”
“Oh, how little doth this world see of Him, and how far are they from the love of Him, seeing there is so much loveliness, beauty, and sweetness in Christ, that no created eye did ever yet see!”
“If the public good falls, shall I think to enjoy my ease and my peace, my estate and my honour upon good terms?”
“Would you not account that man a very fool that when he comes to an inn, should spend all his time there to furnish and adorn a room with curious hangings, when he must stay but for a night, and leave it the next day?”
“Oh, the rest, the peace, the comfort, the contentment—that the things of this world strip many men of!”
“Usually the holiest of men have least of earth, though most of heaven.”
“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Rest not until you are enabled to look more within the veil; and fix your hearts more steadfastly on the only permanent realities in the universe.”
“They are like paint, which glitters a little in our eyes—but at death all this paint will be worn off.”
“Remember that the holiest saints or apostles could never please the world, nor escape their censures, slanders, and cruelties, no, nor Jesus Christ himself.”
“And if you will be ungodly and vicious to please them, you sell your souls, your conscience, and your God, to please them.”
“The things must go, and both must go. 'And the fashion of this world passeth away.' All the frame of things pass away; marriage passeth away; callings and friends pass away; and all pass away.”
“What a sad parting-hour will it be to the soul, when it must go into another world, and leave all that it admired and loved, behind in this!”
“For those things are said to be vain, which neither do nor can perform what we expect from them.”
“The frog can live in the water, but not in the water only; the otter can live in the water, but not in the water only.”
“But the great thing in the first place that a godly heart minds is the dew of heaven, and then secondly the blessing of the earth.”
“Ah, who would endure an ocean of torture for a drop of sensual pleasure, or for a few bitter-sweets?”
“All men can see their outward blessings — but they have no eyes to behold the inward curses which lie under those outward blessings.”
“Some again pass their days in a golden dream, and drop into hell before they think of it.”
“Meditation on the heavenly kingdom, would put a damp and slur upon all worldly glory.”
“Their own desire and choice will please them but a little while.”
“The grace of God is compared to a river, perhaps to show of what a low esteem it is with the rich and the full.”
“But grace weighs heavier than gold; gold draws the heart from God, grace draws the heart to God.”
“What good will the whole globe of the world do at such a time?”
“So, in the things of the earth, an earthly-minded man or woman has his thoughts filled with distracting cares about the world.”
“Too many seem to think of everything except religion in choosing a partner for life, or to suppose that it will come somehow as a matter of course.”
“To barter Him for lower things, is to clasp a shadow—to snatch a husk—to pursue a mocking candle—to lean on a broken reed.”
“Can you ever tell of a work of God separating you from the world, that when you wentest according to the world, God gave you a mighty call that made a separation between you and the world?”
“How different are the names that God and the world do put upon things and persons now!”
“We are members of this world, and we are heirs of a better; we have relation to two worlds.”
“Ludi praebent semina nequitiae [Plays furnish the seeds of wickedness].”
“Oh how do men value the favours of a man, and the promises of a man; the seal of a man for such and such a benefice; and how doth it grieve them to have the frowns of flesh and blood, the frowns of greatness!”
“A spiritual heart reserves the chief strength of it for higher things.”
“Many of you have at one time or another solemnly promised this to God: that if He would preserve your wealth or perhaps restore you to the enjoyment of it, you would render it back up to Him to honor Him with it.”
“He who could have turned stones into bread, could as easily have turned stones into gold, and so have made his disciples rich and great in the world—but he would not.”
“We easily contract contagion and taint one from another, and learn to be carnal and worldly.”
“The man who is naturally covetous does not eradicate the love of money by a single effort.”
“If you see a man whose affections are set inordinately on any thing here below, it is easy to discern how he goes off from his native worth, and debaseth himself therein.”
“Who knows, but in a few days some of us may be taken into that incomprehensible glory, where we shall eternally admire that ever we did put any manner of weight on things here below?”
“You complain that you cannot think on good things, but if you begin to think of them a little, soon your thoughts are off from them.”
“As there is not so much in a shadow as in the image, so there is not so much in the image as in the thing itself.”
“When we change our outward condition, be it to never so great advantage, we do not lose, but only change our cares.”
“He that will defraud, forswear, bribe, oppress, serve the time, use, abuse all men, all things, swallow any wickedness, cannot escape riches.”
“Beloved, the bitterest things in the ordinance of God are better than any worldly thing.”
“With most men, their promotion succeeds their former state—that is, the nobility of their character is left behind, along with their former position.”
“All our nearest and dearest relations are like a bouquet, which the oftener we smell to it, the sooner it withers.”
“The world, it may be, smiles upon thee; it may be that it frowns; but what of either of these, while God is angry with thee every day?”
“When the glory of God appears, then all flesh, and all worldly glory, is but as grass, as the flower of the field, as a contemptible thing.”
“Thy very being seems withered and hollow, even when mirth is flushing the cheek, and fond visions of earthly gaiety are luring thee onward.”
“The lusts of the flesh, are the pleasures of the world; which are all of them suited to gratify the sensual and fleshly part of man.”
“And the reason of this unsatisfactoriness in worldly things, is, because none of them are so good as the soul is.”
“For them we take the most care, and in them we place our chief delight, whereas God in Christ should have all the affections of our hearts.”
“It is easy to lose one's purse in a crowd; and in a crowd of worldly employments, it is easy to lose all the thoughts of God.”
“If a man had a golden mill, he would not use it just to grind dirt, straw, and sticks in.”
“Demas was a religious professor, yet loved this present evil world.”
“What is all the world now to such a soul? where is all the bravery of it, or the malice and opposition of it?”
“Is there not a time coming when the godly may ask the wicked what profit they have in their pleasure? what comfort in their greatness? and what fruits in all their labour?”
“Transitory worldly things, are not commensurate to the desires of the soul—therefore they cannot render him blessed.”
“Smoke, the sooner it ascends the sooner it vanisheth: so the greater men are in their power, the sooner they perish. 4.”
“You know men will condemn you, if you be true to God: if, therefore, you must needs have the favour of men, you must take it alone without God's favour.”
“But all this is but a pageant as it were, as a man that acts in a pageant, or in a play; he is in some sort a king, or a beggar for the time.”
“They soothe no sorrow, they dry up no tears, they knit no broken bonds.”
“All the comforts of it are but like fading flowers, that, while we are looking on them and smelling to them, die and wither in our hands.”